MOC: Vertical Boiler Logging Tramway Loco

[Locomotive Annie]

There were some fairly odd looking locos at work on the timber tramways here in New Zealand. Many were built in the tramway workshops using a boiler from here and a stationary steam engine from there. Chain drive over big coarse spockets made the wheels turn so they were very simple locomotives indeed. Generally they only travelled at walking speed, but could haul a big load over the rough and ready light trackwork used on the logging tramways.

I put together this little loco over the course of an afternoon. At the moment it's unpowered, but soon I'm going to have a bit of a mess about and put a motor in it. In case anyone is wondering the tyre on the top of the chimney is meant to be the primitive type of spark arrestor that was commonly used on these locos.

[LEGO Guy Bri]

Neat little build Locomotive Annie. Very primitive indeed, but I like older things from yesteryear and this fits in. I am interested on how you could power it, while hiding the motor, unless you decide to paint it brown to mimic the boiler

[Phoxtane]

I am interested on how you could power it, while hiding the motor, unless you decide to paint it brown to mimic the boiler

Looks like a M-motor would fit quite nicely inside the boiler! Then there's the problem of hiding the battery box though... perhaps it could be hidden under a pile of logs on another train car it'd be pulling?

[Locomotive Annie]

My plan was to hide the motor in the boiler and have the batteries ride in a 4 wheeled car coupled behind the loco. It was very common for locos like this one to have a crude wooden tender to carry slabwood which is what most timber tramway locos used for fuel.

Once I get it working properly I will more than likely have a go at detailing the boiler a bit more with a pressure gauge, some extra handwheels and a few more pipes.

[LEGO Guy Bri]

Sounds like a relatively easy solution. I wasn't quite sure if any PF motor could even fit inside the boiler (haven't used them... yet). I'd like to see what you come up with regarding the battery box

[Laura Beinbrech]

Very nice, Annie!

These locomotives aren't as odd as you might think: This looks very much like some of the lighter Climax or Shay locomotives used for the same purposes on American Logging railways. I also like how you're making it to Friends scale.

[Locomotive Annie]

Yes I'd forgotten about the Shays and Climax locos that had vertical boilers Hikaro. You're right though there are a lot of similarities.

I had wondered about using some of the Jack Stone figures too. The figure in the photo arrived in a pile of 2nd hand Lego I purchased a while ago, but I know the range has some crew and mechanic figures that would be perfect for my railway.

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?M=js022

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?M=cre006

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?M=js017

This loco is built 8 wide by the way.

Edited October 17, 2012 by Locomotive Annie

[Electricsteam]

I love vertical boiler locomotives I made one on a 6x16 plate and 2 sets of small train wheels on a turntable . it was to small to have a coupler sadlly and I dont have any pictures to post

[Locomotive Annie]

I'm hoping to motorise this loco sometime and I guess it won't pull much, but that's Ok. I have a soft spot for vertical boilered locos too and I had to have at least one on my layout.

Pity that you don't have any pictures of your loco, sounds like it would've been interesting to have a look at.

[Electricsteam]

I have the the locomotive in well pecies in my boxes ... It really doesnt help when a 5 month old kitten knocks a firestation onto vertical boiler locimotive.... Correction I need to rebuild the entire thing Cant be too hard becuase I remember most of it

Edited November 19, 2012 by Electricsteam